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Matt Brien was a game-time decision with torn cartilage in his leg. Matt Goudie slept 20 straight hours, trying to shake a late-week virus that left him bedridden.

The Colchester High School boys soccer team faced an uphill battle before taking the pitch in Saturday’s Division I state championship game at Burlington High School.

“I took a shower, ate some food and just came out here,” Goudie said. “Never would I have ever missed it, I couldn’t have missed this game. I couldn’t stay home.”

Not when there was a title to bring back home to Colchester.

Goudie scored the opening goal, Brien played all 80 minutes and solidified the defense with goalkeeper Liam Mooney, and No. 2 Colchester seized a 2-1 win over top-seeded and defending-champion CVU for the program’s second title overall and first in 25 years.

Two starters — Brien the captain on the backline; Goudie the team’s leading goal-scorer — were pre-game question marks for the Lakers’ biggest game of the season against a Champlain Valley squad they hadn’t defeated in nearly a decade.

“We’ve talked about it all season how often times we are down and thrown different challenges at us,” Colchester coach Dennis McCannell said. “But they kept coming back.

“We told them that the one thing they’ve never done is beat CVU. And the best time to beat CVU is in the state championship,” McCannell said.

Brett Nelson also scored — a 25-yard free kick late in regulation that pushed the advantage to 2-0 — and Mooney collected five saves to fend off a second-half surge from a Redhawks side desperate to equalize.

“It’s unbelievable for us. We tried so hard this season,” Nelson said. “We wanted to play into November and we are here today, still playing and holding strong in the championship. That was huge for us.”

But a deep playoff run ending with a coronation had eluded the Lakers (15-2-1). Double-digit-win seasons were soured with early playoff exits.

Something needed to change tactically. A move to a more possessive style, like that of their opponent Saturday, paid off. Nelson and Tucker Jean took control in the middle from the onset of the season, dictating the Lakers’ tempo and distributing to playmakers like Goudie (21 goals).

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“We wanted to play like them,” said Nelson of CVU. “I’d rather take possession in the middle and control the middle, serve balls in, shoot. We just wanted to dominate the middle.”

That led to Saturday, when Goudie banged home a shot during a scramble in front of the CVU net following Mark Gauthier’s free kick from near midfield.

“This turned into very much like the St. Johnsbury game and eerily similar to the state championship two years ago,” said CVU coach TJ Mead of playing from behind. “It's usually not how we script it. We are fine at 0-0 but we tend not to like to chase games. That’s not our strength.”

Still, the Redhawks sought an equalizer. In the span of eight minutes, Zack Evans had a free kick pushed away by Mooney, two corners were cleared out of the box and Patrick McCue’s redirected header off an Evans’ curling restart sizzled past the right post by a couple feet.

Nelson doubled the Lakers’ lead with his free kick that dropped over the wall and slipped inside the right post with 2:45 left in regulation. Joe Castano struck just 23 seconds later, but it was too late for the Redhawks (17-2).

“We weren’t capitalizing on the pass that might lead to the assist. I don’t think we challenged them too much and had many full chances,” Mead said. “I think we had some half-chances. Felt like a midfield battle today.”

From Brien overcoming an injury that will require an MRI to Goudie heading to the emergency room for antibiotics after the game, the Lakers’ mettle was unmatched on a cool, sometimes drizzly Championship Saturday.

“I’d say we have a tough team, you know?” Goudie said. “Everything was on the line and I think we just battled through it. Nothing can get in our way.”

Mooney, who rejoined the soccer program following a year off to concentrate on freestyle skiing, spoke of the Lakers’ bond.

“It’s just an incredible feeling, being with these boys every day,” Mooney said. “It’s just that vibe, you can’t beat it. I don’t consider them teammates, I consider them brothers.